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Rapoo E6700 Bluetooth Touch Keyboard: Not really for Mac users
We get a lot of Bluetooth keyboards to test here at the TUAW Labs, but very few of those come with a built-in trackpad. Today I'm looking at the Rapoo E6700 Bluetooth Touch Keyboard (available on Amazon for about US$65), a very compact all-in-one keyboard/trackpad combo. Specifications Dimensions: 13 x 4 x 0.6 inches (332 x 101 x 15 mm) Weight: 9 oz. (255 grams) Materials: Plastic and aluminum Design The first thing you'll notice about this keyboard is that it is small; almost too small, in my honest opinion. The keys are quite small and close together, and the trackpad is about half the area of Apple's Magic Trackpad. Anyone who is pressed for desktop space might find this keyboard attractive. It's a nice looking keyboard - most of the standard keys are in their accustomed locations, but it's pretty obvious that Mac users weren't the target audience for this keyboard since it replaces the customary Function - Control - Option - Command keys with Control - Function - Windows - Alt. Yes, it's primarily targeted at Windows 8 users, who usually don't read TUAW. There's also a row of function (F1 - F12) keys that are in unfamiliar locations. A power switch and "connect" button are located on the bottom of the keyboard, and there's a micro-USB port used to recharge the unit. Functionality I was going to write this post using the Rapoo E6700, and between my fingers tripping on the closely-spaced keys and the trackpad not working the way I'm used to, I gave up and went back to my Apple Wireless Keyboard. Now small is this keyboard/trackpad combo? Well, the entire unit is only about an inch and a half wider than the Apple Wireless Keyboard. Oddly enough, Logitech's very compact Keys-To-Go Bluetooth keyboard (roughly the same price as the E6700) is about the same width as the keyboard portion of the E6700, and I find it very easy to type on thanks to wider keys. Not all of the function keys work with the Mac. For example, there are volume control keys that work just fine, but other keys don't produce the desired results - for example, something that looks like a brightness key has seems to type an asterisk instead. I admire Rapoo's design sensibility; some of their other products this year have been quite impressive. But this keyboard is just too small for real work, and I was never quite sure what a tap or click on the trackpad was going to accomplish. It did pair easily, and my Mac understood that there was both a keyboard and trackpad attached via Bluetooth. But I am so used to the way that all of Apple's trackpads work - the Magic Trackpad and those on the MacBooks - that the E6700's trackpad was basically unusable for me. Sure, I read the user manual, but the idea of using a completely different set of gestures than I'm used to did not make me happy. Conclusion Rapoo has been coming out with some very nice products like the E9070 Wireless Ultra-Slim Keyboard and the T120P Wireless Touch Mouse, but the E6700 is a real mess. With keys too small and close together for easy typing, special keys that are unusable on Macs, and a trackpad that just doesn't have the same feel or gesture set as those on Apple products, I'd recommend that Mac owners stay away from it. Rating: 1 star out of 4 stars possible
Rapoo TV claims to make 'any HDTV smart,' is compatible with iOS and Android
Less than 24 hours after announcing the H9080 wireless headphones, Rapoo's let it be known that its CES 2013 repertoire also includes a little something for the living room (or bedroom, depending on where you prefer to enjoy your downtime). With its Rapoo TV, the company's touting the ability to turn any HDTV into one with intelligent features -- essentially, though, it is a wireless receiver that allows iOS and Android devices to connect to it, allowing them to mirror mostly any content on the bigger screen. Of course, there might be some better options for iOS users (and Android soon, we imagine) in the market already, but the company's still hoping some folks may have room for yet another set-top-like unit in their home. The company says the Rapoo TV will be available sometime in Q1 of this year, however there's no word on pricing just yet.
Rapoo H9080 wireless headphones promise mellow bass, 10 hour battery life
Wireless home theater cans? A dime a dozen these days -- luckily, we're still suckers for a handsome charging dock. Debuting in the halls of the Las Vegas convention center are Rapoo's H9080 Home Entertainment Wireless Headphones, a leather-clad pair of audio earmuffs that promise deep, on-demand bass boosting and clean treble tones. Rapoo attributes the sets' audio fidelity to COM-Ti membrane vibration technology, ensuring a pure and mellow sound. A handsome charging cradle keeps your headphones from getting lost, whilst juicing it up for 10 hours of use for every three hours on the cradle. The company isn't ready to trot out a price tag just yet, but says the headphones will be available in the first quarter of 2013.
Rapoo 2900 wireless keyboard sports touchpad, Bluetooth, and that ineffable Rapoo charm
Enough time has passed since the diNovo Edge wireless keyboard debuted that perhaps it's time for a low(er) priced tribute -- a Knickerbockers to Logitech's Beatles, if you will. To that end, check out the Rapoo 2900: it sports a built-in touchpad, a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery and docking charger, and a Bluetooth / USB dongle. It's a slight little thing (check out the comparison with a full-sized keyboard after the break) and it'll cost you about $86. The best part? Now you have an excuse to say "Rapoo" over and over again.
